Johnny Gray broke 1:45 65 times!

my observation of my former teammate, which is decidedly biased: johnny always tried to run fast, and figured winning would be a byproduct of that; others--symmonds comes to mind--run to win, and hope that fast times will be a byproduct of that. johnny had the sprinter's mentality of not worrying about the guys in the other lanes.

as far as measuring how often this strategy "worked" (and if "worked" is defined by running sub 1:45), it looks like you could do the math: approximately 65% of the time (65/106 800 races)

say what you want about THE MAN, but he essentially went out at world record pace almost EVERY RACE for around 60% (usually through 500m) of the distance of his race (arguably the most painful race on the track)! how many world class distance runners can boast that? how many sprinters even do that (if you considered world record pace in the 100 being usain bolt's 60m split, and so on)?

You mean Crenshaw Cougar http://www.crenshawhs.org/ Johnny Gray 1:45 65 times!

Great stuff. Surprised to see Borza so high up on that list, but he ran a lot at the youth level so he was used to racing I guess.

Rudisha might top that list, as he's still young and will probably never run over 1:45 again outside championship qualifying heats.

Damn, Gray averaged 1:43.41 in 65 races!

Larry Gabler wrote:

Johnny Gray was a hell of a runner who didn't know how to control his peak. I don't know if that is because of the Igloi training system or if it was nerves. But Gray had a sensational career as a runner. The verdict is out on him as a coach. I just don't have enough info on him as a coach.

Huh?

Johnny Gray made the Olympic finals 84, 88, 92, 96 (7,5,3,7) and the World championships final in every year that it was available to him (except 87, which was a down year for him). He was national champion 6 times. this is an astounding level of peak performance.

When it comes to advice for how to peak, one of the first persons I'd look to is Johnny Gray. One of the last persons I'd look to? you guessed it, go to the mirror, boy.

Johnny Gray's part of L.A. has produced a phenomenal amount of world class athletes like Allyson Felix, Carmelita Jeter, David Wells, Paul Pierce, John Smith, Lionel Larry, Ron Cey, John Arnett, Bobby Kersee, Karim-Abdul Jabbar, Jack Kemp, Keyshawn Johnson, Florence Griffith-Joyner, Sparky Anderson, Jeanette Bolden, Michell Kwan, Valerie Brisco-Hooks, David Gettis, ... I'm sure Johnny is happy to have lived up to the tradition of Los Angeles sports.

Ordinary Guy wrote:

Johnny Gray's part of L.A. has produced a phenomenal amount of world class athletes like Allyson Felix, Carmelita Jeter, David Wells, Paul Pierce, John Smith, Lionel Larry, Ron Cey, John Arnett, Bobby Kersee, Karim-Abdul Jabbar, Jack Kemp, Keyshawn Johnson, Florence Griffith-Joyner, Sparky Anderson, Jeanette Bolden, Michell Kwan, Valerie Brisco-Hooks, David Gettis, ... I'm sure Johnny is happy to have lived up to the tradition of Los Angeles sports.

and David Mack.

MLB: Tony Gwynn, Ozzie Smith, Eddie Murray, Chili Davis, Daryl Strawberry, Rene & Marcel Lacheman.

I remember the 1984 Olympic trial. Earl Jones, Gray, and John Marshall took the spots, leaving two great faves out.

The photo finish deciding third could still be debated to this day.

Marshall I knew about, and it was a great race for him...nice breakthrough. But Jones and Gray were new names to me. Jones was one of the stars of the meet, a real up and comer. I wonder what he could've done. He was brash enough to talk about being the first man under 1:40. Great talent.

malmo wrote:

Sebby wrote:

Now I am even more impressed seeing that list. Guys like Coe would have run quite a few more, but he was also a miler. It seems like most of the guys on the list were 800 specialists only, as opposed to 800/1500 types.

I wouldn't expect Coe to have anywhere near that. Gray raced anyone, anytime. Coe controlled when he raced and who he allowed to be in those races.

Coe controlled who he allowed in his races? Source?

Coe is not American so WGAF ?

malmo wrote:

Huh?

Johnny Gray made the Olympic finals 84, 88, 92, 96 (7,5,3,7) and the World championships final in every year that it was available to him (except 87, which was a down year for him). He was national champion 6 times. this is an astounding level of peak performance.

When it comes to advice for how to peak, one of the first persons I'd look to is Johnny Gray. One of the last persons I'd look to? you guessed it, go to the mirror, boy.

Come on, it's not that simple. Final place alone won't tell you how good of a peaker he was. For example, Webb in 2007 had the fastest 1500, fastest mile, and 2nd fastest 800 time in the world that year, but he finished 8th in the 1500 final in Osaka. One could reasonably argue that Webb was disappointed with his finish, and that perhaps it was a case of mis-timing his peak. He may have left his best race of the year on the Paris track 7 weeks before the WC final.

8th is outstanding and amazing and beyond anything any of us will ever touch, but it could still be a peaking misfire. You can't just look at the final place, you need to look at the big picture to get the context.

batonist wrote:

His split on the SMTC AR 4x800 team was sub 1:45 also

And his split on the WR Sprint Medley was 1:43.9.

I always look at the big picture.

Webb's 8th place at worlds was a great race. He was only 0.7 out of 2nd place, and of all the runners ahead of him, I just don't see more than two that he could have beaten (Casado, Zerguilaine). Even so, both of them had enough of their own credentials to rightfully beat Webb.... and they did. For Webb to beat 3 or more of them would have been at least a 2 sigma event.

As far as your assertion that one could reasonably argue that Webb was disappointed with his finish, I would hope so. That's the mark of a world class runner -- to set high goals and go for them. The day that Webb says, "8th place was about what I could expect" is the day that he's done.

The reality of being world class is that the higher on the ladder you climb the more often you will get beaten.

the webb who destroyed lagat (admittedly short of speed so early in the season) and baala(? at paris) in the final 100m, and who ran 3:46 and 1:43.8, was a legitimate favorite, but he got slightly injured in the 1:43.8 and then got sick before World's, so that was a weakened Webb who finished 8th.

Is there a thread on here describing the training helping to produce Johnny's awesome performances? How did he train for the most part?

Johnny posted this:

First of all I'll like to thank everyone for the great comments, as well as coach Ranaldie foe sending me this web site. Now for my thoughts. I think that the reason I ran so well for so long is because I was blessed, as well as I worked very hard and stayed away from Drugs and cheating even through the rough times. As far as the comment about me choking, NEVER! I didn't choke, I was just too tired at times and because I was human and not cheating, I took a lickin but kept on tickin.To sum it all up, I workd hard and I did it clean, my question to the rest is how many of you did it clean? Love you all and thanks for the great comments. I HAD FUN

JOHNNY GRAY

Event: 800 meters

Height: 6-4

Weight: 175

PR: 800m - 1:42.60 AR (1985)

Born: June 19, 1960, in Los Angeles, Calif.

Current Residence: Agoura Hills, Calif.

High School: Crenshaw HS, Los Angeles, '78

Colleges: Los Angeles CC '79; Santa Monica CC '80

Coach: Merle McGee

Agent: Joe Douglas

Club: Santa Monica TC

Career Highlights: 1992 Olympic bronze medalist; 4-time Olympian; 1987, 1999 Pan Am Games champion; 7-time U.S. Outdoor national champion; 3-time Olympic Trials champion. American record holder indoors (1:45.00) and outdoors (1:42.60).

From 1984 to 1997, Gray broke 1:45.0 every season - 14 straight. He originally went out for track at Crenshaw High to be a two miler. His high school coach Merle McGee thought he had better potential in the 800. McGee retired from coaching last year, but is now coaching Gray again in 2001. During his senior year in high school, he improved 15 seconds and won the L.A. city title. He has two sons, Johnny III (born 1983) and Jared Kyle (1985).

For those you you counting, Gray was 30 years old in 1990, 40 in 2000.

2001: Millrose Games champ (1:50.40).

2000: 6th in opening round at U.S. Olympic Trials... 7th at Prefontaine Classic (1:52.42)...12th at adidas Oregon Track Classic (1:52.82)...had a strong indoor season, winning two Golden Spike Tour Events - the adidas D.C. Invitational and the U.S. Air Force Millrose Games...placed 3rd at USA Indoors...dnf at Pontiac Grand Prix Invitational ...2000 marked the first time in 18 years that Gray was not ranked in the U.S. by Track & Field News...best of 1:49.10(indoors).

1999: Gold at Pan Am Games ... 4th at USA Outdoors...ranked #5 in U.S. by T&FN...best of 1:45.38.

1998: Troubled by a series of minor injuries...won Mt SAC Relays (1:46.15)...2nd in USA Outdoors (1:45.47)...5th at Goodwill Games (1:47.02)...ranked #2 in U.S. by T&FN...best of 1:45.47.

1997: 5th in USA Outdoors (1:45.37)...3rd at Linz (1:44.56)...ranked #5 in U.S. by T&FN...best of 1:44.56.

1996: Won Olympic Trials (1:44.00)...7th in Olympic Games (1:44.21)...after the Games had surgery to correct acute tendinitis of the knee...in recovery, he began lifting weights for the first time in his career...ranked #9 in world (#1 U.S.) by T&FN...best of 1:43.93.

1995: Lost the early part of his season to anemia...ran season best 1:43.36 to win B race at Zurich's Weltklasse GP...ranked #10 in world (#2 U.S.) by T&FN...best of 1:43.36.

1994: Won Rome GP (1:43.73)...ranked #2 in U.S. by T&FN...best of 1:43.73.

1993: 2nd at USA Outdoors (1:44.67)...8th in semis at World Champs (1:50.89)... ranked #2 in world (#1 U.S.) by T&FN...best of 1:44.03.

1992: Won Olympic Trials (1:42.80)...bronze at Olympic Games (1:43.97)...ranked #4 in world (#1 U.S.) by T&FN... best of 1:42.80.

1991: 3rd in USA Outdoors (1:44.83)...6th in World Championships (1:45.67)... ranked #9 in world (#3 U.S.) by T&FN...best of 1:43.84.

1990: 3rd in USA Outdoors...ranked #7 in world (#3 U.S.) by T&FN...best of 1:43.72, plus 3:42.43 (1500).

1989: Won USA Outdoors (1:46.17)...ranked #6 in world (#1 U.S.) by T&FN... best of 1:43.39.

1988: Won Olympic Trials...5th in Olympic Games (1:44.80)...ranked #2 in world (#1 U.S.) by T&FN...best of 1:42.65.

1987: Won USA Outdoors (1:45.15)...won gold at Pan Am Games (1:46.79)...8th in quarterfinals of World Champs (1:49.50)...ranked #1 in U.S. by T&FN...best of 1:44.09.

1986: Won USA Indoor 1000y (2:04.52)...won USA Outdoors (1:44.73)...ranked #3 in world (#1 U.S.) by T&FN... best of 1:43.46.

1985: Won USA Outdoors (1:45.01)...ranked #2 in world (#1 U.S.) by T&FN... best of 1:42.60.

1984: 2nd Olympic Trials (1:43.74)...7th Olympic Games (1:47.89)...ranked #5 in world (#2 U.S.) by T&FN...best of 1:42.96, plus 2:17.27 (1000m), 4:07.64 (mile)

1983: 5th in semis of USA Outdoors...ranked #7 in U.S. by T&FN...best of 1:45.50, plus 46.3 (400).

1982: 2nd in USA Outdoors...ranked #3 in U.S. by T&FN...best of 1:45.41.

1981: Did not compete due to injury.

1980: 8th in Olympic Trials...ranked #10 in U.S. by T&FN...best of 1:47.06.

1979: 4th in USA Juniors...best of 1:49.39.

1978: best of 1:51.1

1977: best of 2:06.0y